Oak Hill Charges

Strongly fancied on the back of good jump-out form, the handsome four-year-old was having his first run since a successful winter campaign.

A four time winner from just eight starts with all of his victories coming on metropolitan tracks, Oak Hill has always shown a great turn of foot and he certainly put that on display under the urgings of Damian Lane.

“Damian seems to have the key to him,” Glen said. “He has a really good record on him.”

And the rider was very happy with Oak Hill’s first up performance - “that was impressive,” he said, “and I will be sticking him with him!”

“He is a sharp horse though he can be his own worst enemy,” he said, noting that Oak Hill has his share of “nervous energy” which just needs to be harnessed.

“He was a bit fractious before the race but he stepped on terms, they went quick through that first section, he just wanted to race a touch but in the middle part of the race he was great - he just dropped his nose and I was confident from that point.”

“He sustained a really good gallop and quickened nicely - he has an electric turn of foot.”

By Little Avondale Stud’s high achieving stallion Per Incanto (sire of the Ballymore’s Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap winner Roch ‘N’ Horse), Oak Hill was bred by the Mahoenui Partnership and purchased by Ballymore and Paul Moroney for NZ$180,000 at the 2022 Karaka Yearling Sale.

He is one of the three winners produced by the unraced High Chaparral mare Isstoora, also dam of the Gr.1 Captain Cook and Gr.2 Avondale Guineas winner Desert Lightning.

Oak Hill’s dam is the Gr.3 mare Murjana whose dam Twyla is a ¾ sister to the great racehorse and stallion Redoute’s Choice; making him a member of the internationally prolific Best In Show family.